


I’ll Be Your Memory

by SwellDame



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, I Blame Tumblr, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Murder, Not Happy, Oral Sex, Pre-Series, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 13:50:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8016487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwellDame/pseuds/SwellDame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What may have happened the day everyone's lives changed forever. (Yes Grimaud speaks in this one and he is Athos' servant because s3 what s3?) Dedicated to</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shadow_in_the_shade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_in_the_shade/gifts).



It had been nearly nine months since they married but Athos and Anne were still in the throes of wedded bliss. Much to the consternation of others who privately thought they wouldn’t last long before she was cast out, never to be seen again. She had to admit even she had her doubts at first. Nightmares of returning to the streets after he found out her true identity gave her many sleepless nights at the beginning. They dissolved as time passed and she found herself beginning to surrender to the idea that she was wrong. She found permanent happiness in Athos and everything else would fall into place, she was sure of it. She needed it.

But if there was any sort of foreshadowing that may have lingered on that particular morning, Anne never felt or saw it. The only sensations which ran through her that morning was the pleasurable humming coursing throughout her body as Athos pulled her into him again as he laid between her thighs, hungrily lapping away away at her center. Her husband still found ways to sharpen her senses in the midst of an afterglow.

“Not fair,” she uttered, shivering from the delicious sensitivity of his moist lips on her inner thigh.

Athos only laughed and rose from his position, peppering kisses along her lithe frame before lying next to her.

“Do you think --” his hand caressed and splayed across her flat stomach.

“We might,” she sighed, the thought of being with child, _their child_ , made her smile. “It’s not as though we haven’t been trying.”

“I just haven’t been able to keep your hands off of me,” he quipped and kissed her.

“Well you are irresistible after all,” she murmured against his lips.

But they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Her body momentarily stilled at the trepidation of who it might be, but her husband’s warmth quickly replaced it, making her feel whole and safe again. Even after the knocking continued and grew in demand.

“Go away!” he barked. She giggled into her pillow.

“Athos!” the shrill voice, which could only belong to Catherine, called from the other side and the couple groaned. Anne wasn’t surprised to not hear her name; she was only called when it was absolutely necessary or when Catherine had to keep her high borne reputation spotless. Otherwise, she chose to behave as if Anne didn’t exist and she was inclined to do the same. They would never be the sisters she once hoped they would be.

The couple looked at each other dreading who would have to traipse over and actually confront her. Neither of them moved, silently hoping she would give up and walk away. But another rapping on the door suddenly emboldened Anne to make her leave them in peace.

“What are you doing?” he asked with amusement as his wife sat up and grabbed his shirt from the floor at the foot of the bed.

Throwing it over her head, she walked over to the door and winked at him over her shoulder.

Anne could only think of how the sight of her wearing Athos’ shirt should stun her. Catherine was not subtle about her flirtations towards him, especially under Anne’s gaze. She had no reason to be jealous - Athos always warded off her advances - but still her sister-in-law’s behavior was beginning to irritate her.

 _Two can play this game_. Anne thought as she turned the doorknob and opened the door wide enough for her sister-in-law to see the disarray of both the bedroom and her husband. With a few overturned pieces of furniture and clothes strewn about the floor, it was very clear what they had been doing since retiring the night before and as Catherine’s eyes scanned the room, her face grew more pale, her jaw clenched and her lips pursed into a tight disapproving line. Anne almost wished the vile woman would say something, just to have the chance to give a piece of her mind.

“I’m sorry, my husband is indisposed at the moment, as you can tell.”she smiled, savoring the gray look on Catherine’s face. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

Catherine attempted to look around her but the particular article of clothing Anne was wearing caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes at the small brunette before her with contempt but Anne refused to display any sort of perceived weakness.

“Will you be breakfasting with us today?” she looked through Anne as if she wasn’t there.

“I don’t know,” Athos voice was strict and harsh, clearly disapproving of how Catherine was acting, which was a regular occurrence. “Anne, should we breakfast with them today?”

“No,” she replied without taking her eyes off of the irate woman before her. “I think we should breakfast in bed today.”

“Really, Athos. Thomas would disapprove of all this -”

“ _Catherine_ ,” he sliced through her words, “You heard my wife. The Comtesse wants our breakfast brought here.”

“ _Fine._ ” Catherine gritted. “But Thomas wants you-”

Her words were cut off by Anne slamming the door in her sister-in-law’s face. She turned back to her husband with a coquettish grin. If she had any doubts about him disapproving, he didn’t comment or show it. Instead he returned with a wolfish grin.

“You look delicious in my shirt.”

“Do I?” her smiled widened, her fingers playing with the hem of the shirt which hung down to meet her lower thighs. Her husband made a primal groan as he watched her approach the bed.

“I should keep this then?” she leaned in and whispered against his lips with a smile. Athos suddenly caught her off guard and pulled her down to the bed, wrestling her to a position underneath him.

She suddenly felt anxious, pulling him to her, needing him closer, hungering for him to be inside her once more.

“What’s your hurry? We have the rest of our lives.” he commented, as she impatiently bucked her hips, but his words didn’t seem to calm her. They only spurred her on. She didn’t know why - only felt as though their time together was happening too fast and yet too so slowly, as if it were all a dream and she would wake up soon. She wanted them to stay like this forever but it didn’t seem long enough.


	2. Chapter 2

They had dressed in more respective clothing before the servants arrived with their meal. Athos turned one of the tables upright while catching her eye in the mirror, winking as he did it. She blushed, thinking about what they did on that poor table the night before. She was surprised it still had all four legs.

As she began to braid her hair, he approached from behind and whispered low,

“Leave it.”

“Are you sure?” she asked. He nodded.

“It’s bound to be loosened sometime today,” he buried his head in her tresses, inhaling the jasmine scent.

“That wouldn’t be by your hand by any chance, would it?” she leaned into his touch.

“Mmm,” he groaned as his hand slipped lower and caressed her neck. She purred.

From behind them someone coughed. They turned to see Grimaud, Athos’ manservant with two other servants holding breakfast trays.

“I’m sorry to interrupt --”

“It’s fine, Grimaud.” Athos straightened and gestured at the table for them to set the food.

“Good morning Comtesse,” Grimaud greeted as she sat down.

“Good morning,” she replied, “How are you?”

“Very good, Madam. And you?”

“Perfect.” she replied without hesitation, smiling at her husband across the table.

Her relationship with the servants was always humble and congenial which was one of the things he loved about her. It was a pleasant contrast to how the rest of his family and the nobility treated those in their service.

Athos was the one to see them out of the room and close the door to give them more privacy. When he returned to her side, he held out a small bouquet of forget-me-nots.

“They’re in bloom again.” He said softly as a smile brightened her face, as if it couldn’t be any brighter.

“Athos,” she whispered with affection as she buried her nose in the bouquet and inhaled its sweet aroma.

“What do you want to do today?” He asked, taking his seat across from her again. She set the bouquet down beside her plate.

“I suppose we have to do something useful. Otherwise, Catherine and Thomas. . .” she let her words drift off as she concentrated on spreading the honey around on her piece of bread.

Catherine, she could ignore in time but Thomas. Thomas was a different story. The primal gaze he seemed to only reserve for her when he was near, frightened her. It was a reminder of the numerous, dangerous men she encountered and stave off on the streets in her former life. Never had she imagined having to live with that fear when she arrived. But if her husband hadn’t suspected anything, or worse yet, hadn’t seen anything for himself then there wasn’t anything to cause alarm. Or at least she told herself.

“Anne?”

She reluctantly lifted her gaze to him.

“Do you want me to talk to her?” he asked sincerely. She shook her head.

She tried to push away the injurious thought away and mask the feeling with resilience, an intimate skill which never failed her, but she couldn’t conjure it. It was in that moment she realized, she was truly vulnerable to Athos and what she was capable of hiding from him. A cold stab of fear ran through her. Could she trust this?

“Don’t be silly,” Anne took another bite of her bread.

“But I should say something to her,” he affirmed. She could feel his gaze measuring her reaction but she chose to do nothing except swallow another sip of ale.

 _Thomas_. Her mind urged. _It’s Thomas_.

“You have to be the Comte de la Ferre today.” she mocked him with a smile, to distract both of them from the uncomfortable subject.

“And I should take up some sort of hobby,” she sighed, “What do you think of embroidery?” She giggled and he soon followed her with a hearty laugh. Her hand rested on the forget-me-nots, briefly admiring the token of their love beneath her fingertips as they ate.


	3. Chapter 3

“You could help me in the study as I look over the books?” Athos suggested kissing her one more time, as they stepped into the hallway.

Anne shook her head, “You know very well how that will end.”

“I do,” he pressed her against the wall and laved kisses down her neck, “And I don’t mind it at all.”

She giggled and tried to divert his advances, “If you promise to be good, we can have our lunch in one of the private rooms and -”

“Have dessert?” he playfully raised his eyebrows. She laughed even harder.

“Yes, but you have to be good,” she kissed him again, “And do your duty.”

He groaned, prepared to walk away, when Anne grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. Hard. She abruptly ended it, running down the dark hallway, out of reach from the frustrated Comte.

 _Let him try to concentrate now._ She thought with glee.

“Not fair!” he shouted after her and she laughed.

With Athos otherwise occupied, she made her rounds of the household. She spoke to Marin the cook, letting them know about their plans for lunch and what was to be served. Then she spoke to Camille the housekeeper about possibly visiting the merchants in town to replace the curtains in a few rooms. But she found it difficult to ignore the fact that she was separated from Athos. His magnetism pulled her through the house although he didn’t know it. She drifted toward the study, hoping the doors were open for her to peek inside and observe him for a little while without being seen.

Fortunately, she was rewarded with the sight of him sitting at the desk by the window. His face narrowed into a studious brow as he looked over the finances, scratching calculations on spare pieces of paper with his quill. She watched as he took a moment to sit back in his chair and stretch his arms over his head. She almost wished he would turn his head and see her, but alas, she had more things to do before they would be with each other again. She slipped outside the manor without being noticed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thomas is super creepy and evil.

The house servants were immediately bustling around the kitchens in preparation and gossip. When news of Anne’s special request that lunch be served in one of the private rooms on the floor, it was accompanied by a rumor. A rumor which made a quick ascension from the kitchens to the ears of Catherine and Thomas and when they finally heard it, Catherine was frantic.  
  
“We must do something about this _girl_ once and for all,” she hissed, pacing back and forth. “If it’s true, what shall we do?”  
  
“It’s not true,” Thomas huffed. “She cannot possibly be. . .”  
  
“And why not? Have you seen them? If they’re not in their rooms, they don’t care who’s watching them! Or hearing them! They don’t even care if they’re out in the fields where someone can see! That harlot has seduced him right out of his wits!”  
  
Thomas momentarily shut out his fiance’s shrieks to concentrate his thoughts on Anne. Catherine was right - he had caught the newlyweds in one or two compromising positions around the estate yet they never knew he was close by. These occasions only fueled his visions of her slender body underneath his; her soft, pale skin molding underneath his hands; her will breaking under his force. He should chastise himself for such impure thoughts, but it only inspired his imagination.  
  
“Catherine, calm down!” Thomas hollered and pounded his fist against the table, which made Catherine stop. “When did you start believing in what the servants tell you? It’s idle gossip.”  
  
“When will we know? What are we going to do?” she slumped into a chair.  
  
“I’ll take care of it.” he reassured her. Then he resumed to his thoughts over the methods of how.


	5. Chapter 5

The spring breeze enveloped her as if it were a sweet song and she closed her eyes to feel the sun on her face, taking pleasure in her surroundings as Anne felt she did more often nowadays. Then she began her leisurely walk amongst the grounds, picking a few flowers along the way until she found a place to sit in the shade of a tree on the hill.  
  
Leaning back against the trunk, she arranged the bouquet of yellow parsley, violets, periwinkle, a fully bloomed Jersey thrift, a few pansies and pea flowers in her hands. Looking at the handiwork, she determined it was missing Athos’ bouquet of forget-me-nots and once combined with her bouquet, it would make a nice table setting for their meal.  
  
She glanced back at the house, suddenly feeling anxious as if someone was watching her from one of the windows. It was one of the servants, she insisted, and ignored her instincts once more.  
  
Later, she would remember this moment in the days to come, when she would recount it in her head time over time again, and suspect maybe it was Thomas who had been watching her from afar. But not now. Now was the time for her to carry on with her thoughts of Athos and their future. Her hand absently rested against her stomach as Athos’ hand did the same that morning and hoped she was carrying their child.  
  
When she returned to the house, Anne made her way to the room the servants had chosen for them and set to work. She never considered how much joy she would feel from the simple tasks she did around the manor, including readying the room for her and Athos until now. It made her feel valuable and whole. After straightening the table runner, she moved to the window and opened the panes to let the breeze fill the room. She retreated to the table once more, picking up her gardening shears to continue snipping the a bouquet of flower stems and arranged them in a vase.  
  
The door closed behind her.  
  
She was immediately set on edge, leaning against the table for support, as if the darkness that entered the room, knocked the air out of her lungs and everything pleasant and good was smited in the same breath. She knew it wasn’t Catherine. It was him. _Thomas._  
  
She reluctantly turned around and braced herself for whatever was about to occur. All she knew for certain was the sickening feeling in her stomach would not go away any time soon. It was there to stay. She swallowed and looked into his savage eyes.  
  
_Oh God, give me back that day._


End file.
